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2018 Election

Two days before anniversary of Aztec shooting, NRA warns NM members of “attacks” on gun rights

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In a grossly insensitive and inflammatory letter on Wednesday, the National Rifle Association warned its New Mexico members to “Expect Unprecedented Attacks On Your Second Amendment Rights During The 2019 Legislative Session.” 

This letter came two days before today’s one-year anniversary of the fatal, shooting at Aztec High School; an actual attack that left two young people dead. 

So, who’s really under “attack?” New Mexico gun owners? No, they’re not. Common sense gun regulations are supported by the majority of voters. We know that by the results of this year’s elections.

access to healthcare

State Sanctioned Violence at the Border

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Immigration as a talking point or campaign issue often glosses over the real stories of the human beings at the heart of headlines and vitriol. And sadly, once the rhetoric dies down, people often forget that daily, thousands of people are still working through the labyrinthine system that is the US immigration. Before the end of the year, let’s stop and think about what this year has looked like and try to place some humanity back into the ongoing “immigration issue.”

On November 25, the caravan of refugees seeking asylum (let’s call them what they are) reached the Mexico and United States border, only to be met with tear gas by border agents. The rhetoric surrounding their arrival was dominated by right-wing media, spreading misinformation and fear on the airwaves and in our social media feeds. That propaganda was used heavily in the lead up to the 2018 midterm elections as well, with enterprising conservatives capitalizing on people’s bigotry and fears in nasty ways.

Abortion rights

Healthcare is NOT a crime- sign our petition NOW!

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Healthcare is not a crime. But, all over the country, Republican-led state legislatures are working hard to criminalize pregnant people and doctors when it comes to abortion. In New Mexico, we can hold our own beliefs about abortion but respect that personal decision as something for our family members and neighbors to make for themselves. We keep our doors and hearts open to those around us and across the country- those whose access to safe and legal abortion is being stripped away. Join ProgressNow New Mexico as we work with our partners at the Respect New Mexico Women Coalition to repeal the outdated criminal statute in order to protect access to safe and legal abortion by signing on to our petition now: http://bit.ly/decrimth.

Actions

Galvanize New Mexico!

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All over the country, United State of Women is hosting summits in communities so women can hear from activists, organizers, and experts who work in those communities to share their expertise. On December 1, the United State of Women will be hosting Galvanize New Mexico- a summit to bring together women from all over the state to listen in to expertise. PNNM is excited to uplift this summit- after a historic midterm election, New Mexico is being looked to as a leader in the country for electing women and people of color up and down the ballot. It’s only fitting that Congresswoman-elect Deb Haaland (CD-1) and Xochitl Torres-Small (CD-2) are two of three of the main speakers at Galvanize New Mexico! They will be joined by Michelle Obama’s former Chief of Staff and Time’s Up Legal Co-Founder, Tina Tchen.

Federal Issues

Thanksgiving Is A Time For Educating Ourselves

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In these political times, so much gets lost in the rhetoric and the sound bites. There are so many marginalized groups that are negatively impacted by the policies of the Trump Administration, putting real lives in danger. The lives that are not talked about too much in the media are Native lives. Thanks to Congresswoman-elect Debra Haaland (NM-1) and Congresswoman-elect Sharice Davids (KS-3), the concerns that Native peoples have will be amplified, one of them being blood quantum’s place in politics; blood quantum, or how “Native” or “Indian” one is, determines whether or not a Native person will have access to certain benefits the federal government has agreed to provide Native peoples in exchange for land and other natural resources as well as access to their own natural resources. It is not a coincidence that more tribes have needed to reconsider their blood quantums and tribal constitutions.

ProgressNow NM joins dozens of statewide orgs with ads supporting new Gov in ending methane waste

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Today ProgressNow New Mexico joined with almost 30 (29!) New Mexico organizations in congratulating Governor-elect Michelle Lujan Grisham in a full-page ad in the Santa Fe New Mexican and in thanking her for her commitment to fighting methane waste in the state through comprehensive statewide rules. As noted in the ad, New Mexico oil and gas producers waste as much as $240 MILLION EVERY YEAR in natural gas (mostly made up of methane) that is either leaked or purposely flared or vented during production. That’s enough natural gas to heat EVERY home in New Mexico for a year. But, besides the actual loss of our valuable resources, that waste is also hurting our families in the state in more ways than one:

Wasted methane means wasted money- All that natural gas that producers aren’t capturing or are purposefully burning is costing the tax-payers of New Mexico over $27 MILLION every year in lost royalties. The oil and gas lobby loves to talk about how much they contribute back to the state, so why are they sending literal millions of dollar up in smoke every year?

2018 Election Preview

New Mexico Elections Show the Rest of the Country How It’s Done

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Barry Blitt’s New Yorker cover, “Welcome To Congress”, has gone viral and it’s no surprise why- the cover shows Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-5), and Sharice Davids (Ho-Chunk Nation) (KS-3) with a crowd of brown people behind them at a door, about to walk into a room full of white men. This is a bittersweet moment for people of color across the country- until the late 1960s, ALL American citizens were not able to vote. The legal and physical battles fought to vote were (and are) hard, bloody, and racist. In New Mexico, we have taken Blitt’s concept to the max- the Roundhouse will see a lot of newcomers, mostly women of color and including the first ever Muslim to serve in the legislature, taking their seat on the House Floor. New Mexico has a long history of racism and sexism, especially during the time New Mexico was vying for statehood.

2018 Election

National Network of Abortion Funds celebrates NM abortion advocacy group

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The results of the 2018 General Election mean many things to many people, but for New Mexicans, abortion care is high on the list. 

In 2017, Representative Joanne Ferrary (D-37) sponsored House Bill (HB) 473, the Decriminalizing Abortion Bill that would have removed a pre-Roe vs. Wade law that criminalizes abortion providers. Under the Trump Administration, the likelihood of abortion being a central issue before the 2020 election is both high and the results could be dire. With the appointment of Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, abortion access is in danger for everyone but especially low-income folks and people of color. We expect the state legislature to take up an abortion decriminalization bill again with Governor-elect Lujan-Grisham’s support and eventual signature.

#WhoWeElectMatters

So much winning! New Mexico is sending an ALL Democrat delegation to Congress, elected women up and down the ballot

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There were record numbers of New Mexicans voting in this midterm election compared to 2014 and many of the races turned out in the ways that families needed them to- there were 163,347 more voters this midterm than in 2014, with 54% of eligible voters casting their ballots. What’s more, people who are truly representative of New Mexico’s diversity won last night. Women from all different backgrounds ran in record numbers and won: state House races, judge seats, and the governor’s mansion. The state has its first female Land Commissioner, Stephanie Garcia Richard, and is sending one of two of the first Native American women to Congress, Deb Haaland, elected the first openly gay sheriff, Kim Stewart, in state history, and after a grueling recount, Xochitl Torress Small managed to flip the NM’s 2nd District and become the first woman to represent that area in Congress! 

The Blue (and pink) Wave in New Mexico

Common sense was on the ballot yesterday. There were House races all over the state we watched closely and last night Progressive candidates were swept into office.

2018 Election

Too Much At Stake To Not Vote

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There’s plenty of reasons people use to excuse themselves from not voting. But in case you need a reminder of why every vote, and especially your vote is important, we simply need to look at our state’s national rankings on everything from education to healthcare. That’s right, we are last in everything! In fact, New Mexico was recently ranked 51st in the nation in terms of our level of political engagement.   

A highly engaged electorate that participates in the democratic process and holds our elected officials accountable is critical to having a well-functioning democracy.

Featured

Two days before anniversary of Aztec shooting, NRA warns NM members of “attacks” on gun rights

By |

In a grossly insensitive and inflammatory letter on Wednesday, the National Rifle Association warned its New Mexico members to “Expect Unprecedented Attacks On Your Second Amendment Rights During The 2019 Legislative Session.” 

This letter came two days before today’s one-year anniversary of the fatal, shooting at Aztec High School; an actual attack that left two young people dead. 

So, who’s really under “attack?” New Mexico gun owners?